Soviet A-arms in Europe 3 years, US official says

The Soviet Union has had nuclear weapons in Eastern European countries for at least three years, a senior US official said. The official, who asked not to be named, was briefing reporters at a NATO defense ministers' meeting, which Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger addressed earlier. Asked whether the United States had evidence of these Soviet arms, the official said, ''Indeed we do.''

Also at the meeting, the defense ministers showed concern over a planned US trade law that would penalize companies judged to have sold sensitive equipment to Moscow by denying them access to US markets.